If Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have designs on bringing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to the county level, I know where they need to start: Fairfax County, Va. Fairfax is the largest county in the Washington, D.C., metro area, and it has the fifth-highest median income in the nation.
But Fairfax County is a prime example of local government squandering money and turning a surplus into a shortfall. 7News reports that after a $240 million surplus in 2024, the county is looking at a $300 million shortfall as it begins to put together its 2026 budget.
“In recent years, Fairfax County has had massive surpluses,” reports Nick Minock. “However, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors spent much of the surplus money on projects deemed important to the elected officials.”
One local official expressed his outrage at the mind-blowing spending that his county has engaged in while refusing accountability.
"What is truly sad for our residents is that the Board knew this was coming," Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity told 7News. "Not only have they refused to have an outside review of our budget as other boards have done, but they continue to increase spending on political agenda items and they spent all of last year's surplus. Now they are going to be looking at cutting critical services including ambulances and park maintenance."
The county is considering property tax hikes and a food tax, and leaders are threatening cuts to services. But County Chairman Jeff McKay is behind much of the spending.
From 7News:
In 2023, McKay voted to give himself a nearly $40,000 raise bringing his salary compensation to $138,283. Other Fairfax County Supervisors made $95,000 a year and they voted to increase their salary to $123,283 in 2023.
McKay also gave himself a county-owned car to drive, becoming the first Chairman in the county to do so. As a result, he doesn’t have to pay car taxes on the county car he drives even though he sets the car tax rate for everyone else in the county.
In April 2023, 7News reported that Fairfax County residents expressed concerns that McKay was using his county car for personal reasons.
McKay has a pet project that he’s plowing ahead with despite the budget issues: a COVID memorial.
Fairfax County is planning to build a COVID memorial, a priority for Chair Jeff McKay.
— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) January 1, 2025
Here are the latest renderings. What are your thoughts?
Story: https://t.co/XKpl5ORFfC pic.twitter.com/TegFImbUJP
“Fairfax County has shared the initial design for a ‘Circles of Memory’ memorial to recognize the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic,” reports FFX Now.
“In addition to honoring pandemic victims, the memorial’s design will integrate stormwater management features, shaded seating, and artistic elements to create a tranquil environment for remembrance and resilience,” the report continues. “It will also provide opportunities to adapt the space for future memorial needs or emergency-related events.”
In other words, it sounds expensive. Residents have expressed outrage at the project, mainly because the county budget is upside-down, but that’s not stopping McKay.
By the way, do you want to guess what party McKay belongs to? I’ll let one sentence from his county bio give you a hint: “Since joining the Board, Jeff has been a champion for equity, education, affordable housing, transportation, revitalization, and the environment.”
Only a pretentious local bureaucrat would approve such an ugly monument. And only a Democrat would want to memorialize COVID-19.
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